Electric self-winding device



April 14, 1931. o U

ELECTRIC SELF WINDING DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1927 INVE TOR VSZJCZZ' O Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE USHICHIRO TOKUMI, 01 NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC SELF-WINDING DEVICE Application filed September 26, 1827. Serial No. 222,189.

This invention relates to electrically actuvention is to provide an improved switch member for devices of the class specified consisting of a comparatively light tensioned spring arm having two parts movable rela- 1 tively to each other, and between which parts an electric conductor or finger is adapted to pass, tensionally engaging both parts of the switch arm to close the circuit to the electrical mechanisms of the device; a further object 151 being to provide an electromagnet with means for mountin the same in connection with a support or Sock movement, and a member carrying electromagnetic shoes movable relatively to the opposite end portions of said magnet, and swin ing in its movement on an axis centrally of e core of theelectromagnet, said member carrying at one end, a contact finger movable relatively to said switch,

and means at the other end or cooperating with the other end of said member for moving the same in a direction opposite to the movement imparted thereto by the electromagnet, and for actuating or,winding the mechanisms coupled with said member in this 3 movement; and with these and other objects in view, the invention consists in a device of the class and for the purpose specified, which is simple in construction, efficient in use, and

. which is constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention described and claimed herein is an improvement on that shown and de scribed in an appl'cation for letters patent do of the United Sta s, filed by me June 11,

1927, and bearing Serial Number 198,069, and

is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of 5 my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters 'in each of the views, and in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side viewof a part of a clock movement, showing my improved device mounted in connection therewith.

Fig. 2 isa face view of the construction shown in Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 3 is a detail view, illustrating parts of a switch device in several positions.

In the drawing, 5 and 6 represent the frame plates or members of a clock or other time piece. At 7, I have shown one of the shafts of the time piece which ma constitute any shaft for driving the mec anism s of the time piece by my improved device. On this shaft, is a gear 8 rotated by the action of an operating member 9, consisting of side plates 9a and 9b, rotatable on the shaft 7 the plate 96 carrying a pawl 'which engages with the ear 8'. I

- T e side plates 9a and 9b of the member 9 are joined at their ends by arc-shaped shoes 11- and 12, which are adapted to move into alinement with the opposite ends of the core 13 of an electrom'agnet 14, which magnet is supported in connection with the frame 5 of the time piece in the construction shown by a strap or other member 15, and by screws or bolts 16 and 17 passed through the ends of the core 13. The screw 16 constitutes a terminal for a wire 19 extending from the windin 20 of the electromagnet, thus grounding said wire to the frame 5 and to the member 9. A wire 21 from a source of electric supply extends the windings 20 where- {*so as the other wire 22 from said source of sup-j ply extends to a terminal 23 on a switch device 24 which I employ.

The upper end of the'member 9 or the end to the left as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing, carries a contact finger 25 which projects beyond the end of the member 9 and the shoe thereof, whereas the other end of the member 9 carries a projecting rod 26 on which is adjustably mounted a weight 27 which is adapted to rotate the member 9 on the shaft 7 in r a clockwise direction as seen" in Fig. 2 of the drawing to actuate and rotate the gear 8 through the pawl 10 tooperate the clock or other apparatus until the member 9 reaches the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

"From this position, it is moved into a position to raise the weighted end of the memher 9 by the action of theelectromagnet 14, drawing the shoes 11 and 12 into alinement with the ends of the core 13 of said magnet. This operation is controlled by the switch 24.

The switch 24 is supported upon a block 28 on the frame 5, said block being composed of insulating material, or the switch being insulated from said block. The switch, in the construction shown, consists of two curved spring arms 29 and 30, the ends of both of which are fixed to the block 28 and are in circuit with the wire 22. The arm 29 is continuous in its arc-shaped formation and provided at its free end with a contact point 31, upon which the contact finger 25 strikes in the operation of the device and in closing the circuit, which puts the electromagnet into operation. I

The arm 30 of the switch has an offset portion 32 centrally thereof to form a recess 33 through which the contact finger 25 is adapted to pass in the automatic movement of said finger out of engagement with the switch. The outer end of the arm 30 carries on one face thereof, namely the outer face with reference to the arm 29, a sheet of insulating material 34 on which is a metallic sheet 35 which forms .a bearing sheet over, which the contact finger 25 passes in the operation of the device. Thesheet 35 is merely to take up the wear and is out of circuit with or insulated from the arm 30. It will also beseen that the arm 30 isshorter than the arm 29 to provide for. the passage of the switch 25 over the end of the arm 30 and onto the arm 29 in the operation of the device.

The contact finger 25 travels in a straight vertical path with reference to the switch 24 or the separate arms 29 and 30 thereof, said arms normally assuming a position such as is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawing so that the arm 29 is placed under tension when it engages the contact 25 as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and both of the arms 29 and 30 are placed under tension as seen in full lines in Fig. 3 of the drawing as the contact finger 25 descends through and between the adjacent faces of the arms 29 and 30. When it reaches the recess 33, the spring tendency of the arms and especially the arm 30 which has been placed under tension, will move said arms out of the upward path of the contact- 25 sufliciently to allow said contact finger to strike the outer surface or plate 35 of the arm 30 in its upward movement, thus forcing both arms to the left until the said finger rides over the free edge of the arm 30 and en ages the point 31'on the arm 29.

t will be understood that in the operation of the device, the instant the-contact finger 25 strikes the contact ,point- 31, the circuit throughthe'wires 21 and 22 will be completed, and the electromagnet energized,

which will operate to move the shoes 11 and 12 into a position in longitudinal alinement with the ends of the core 13 and bring the finger 25 into the dotted line position indinamed position, the switch returns to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing out of engagement with the contact finger'25 and the electric circuit through the wires 21 and 22 is again broken and. the operation of the clock movement or other apparatus ormechanism continues by the downward movement of'the right hand end of the member 9 by virtue of the weight 27, it being understood that the weight is sufficient to operate the clock movement or other mechanism, and the electromagnet will be suflicient- 1y powerful to raise the weight and move the member 9 into its operative positionagainst the action of gravity.

It will also be understood that my invention is not necessarily limited to the specific details of construction herein shown and described in the several parts of my improved device, or the manner of their mounting, one

.of the distinctive features of my invention residing in the particular type of switch device herein shown and described, and various changes in and modifications of the construc- -t1on herein set out may be made withln the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

' Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

.1. The combination with a reciprocating electric contact member in one side of an electric circuit, of a spring contact in the other side of said circuit and arranged in the path of the reciprocating movement of said first named contact, means whereby in one ,position of the first named contact relatively to the spring contact, said circuit will be maintainedclosed, and in other positions of first named movement thereof.

2. The combination with a reciprocating electric contact member in one side of an electrio circuit, of a spring contact 1n the other side of said circuit and arranged in the path of the reciprocatingmovement of said first named contact, means wherebyin one position of the first named contact relatively to; the sprlng contact, saidcircuit will be main-i tained closed, and in other positions of said' contact said circuit will be maintained in open position, means in said electric circuit for actuating said first named contact in the first named position, means independent of said circuit for moving said contact in its second named position, said spring contact involving two spring arms between which the reciprocating contact passes in the first named movement thereof, and an insulated surface on one of said arms over which said reciprocating contact passes in the second named movement thereof.

3. In combination, two electric contacts, one of said contacts being in one side of an electric circuit and the other in the other side of said circuit, one of said contacts having spring properties and the other contact having non-yielding properties, one of said contacts being movable intermittently with respect to the other whereby in one movement thereof, the circuit through said contacts will be closed and in the other movement thereof, the circuit through said contacts open, means in said electriccircuit for actuating one of said contacts to cause said firstnamed movement, and means independent of said circuit for actuating the same contact to' cause said other movement, said spring contact being composed of independent members between which the other contact is dis posed when the circuit is completed through said contacts and one of said members having an insulated surface, over which the nonyielding contact passes when the circuit is open through said contacts.

4. The combination with a reciprocating, electric contact member in one side of an elec tric circuit, of a spring contact in the other side of said circuit and arranged in the path of the reciprocating movement of said first named contact, said spring contact involving a relatively long, yielding, member, one side of which has a conducting surface and the other side of which has an insulated surface, said first named contact being movable over both surfaces of said yielding member, completing said electric circuit throughout its contact with said conducting surface, and maintaning said circuit open in itsmovement over the insulated surface, means in said electric circuit for actuating said first-named contact to cause its circuit-closed movement, and means independent of said circuit for actuating the same contact to cause said circuitopen movement, and said spring contact involving another resilient contact member, movable relatively to the first named member and between which and the conducting surface of the first named member, said first named contact passes in completing said electric circuit. V

5. The combination with an electric contact having yielding properties arranged in one side of an electric circuit, said contact having a conductor surface and an insulated surface of an electric contact in the other side of said circuit and adapted to reciprocate relatively to said yielding contact and movable over the conductor surface thereof in one directional movement in maintaining said electric circuit closed and over the insulated surface in the other directional movement thereof in maintainingsaid electric circuit open, means in said electric circuit for actuating said second-named contact to cause its circuit-closed movement, and means independent of said circuit for actuating the same contact to cause said circuit-open movement, and another yielding contact in circuit with said first named contact and movable with and relatively to the conductor surface of -said yielding contact and in connection with which said reciprocating contact operates.

6. The combination with a yielding contact in one side of an electric circuit and involving elongated contact parts, one of which is of greater length than the other, and said parts being movable relatively to each other, of a contact in the other side of said circuit and intermittently movable longitudinally with respect to the parts of said first named contact, maintaining said electric circuit closed in its movement between said parts in one stroke of said reciprocating contact and movable over an insulated surface on one of said parts, maintaining said circuit open during the other stroke of said reciprocating contact, means in said circuit for actuating said second-named contact to cause 

